04/2011 - 2Gig Adds 900 MHz Touchscreen to Security System

2Gig Adds 900 MHz Touchscreen to Security System

April 08, 2011 –When 2Gig Technologies introduced its self-contained security system in 2007, it went from zero to hero practically overnight. This year, the company expects to sell some 400,000 alarm panels.

And the company has achieved this rapid growth despite the fact that it has so few products – an alarm panel called Go!Control, a few sensors and a couple of Z-Wave devices.

At the International Security Conference (ISC West) this week in Las Vegas, 2Gig introduced a small touchscreen that serves as a slave controller for the 2Gig system. The device operates in the 900 MHz spectrum, which introduces yet another radio for the Go!Control system.

How Many Radios Does it Take?

The core of the Go!Control system is a panel measuring 8.5w x 6h x 1.5d inches that installers slap on a wall in no time. It includes the entire security system CPU as well as a small touchscreen for controlling the system.

With the new touchscreen, 2Gig must add a 900 MHz transceiver to the Go!Control system. 2Gig founder Lance Dean tells CE Pro, “All future panels will have 900 MHz or you can just snap in a new radio [for legacy panels].”

Dean says that 2Gig’s remote touchscreen beats competitive products from mainstream alarm manufacturers because of its near-zero latency. In a demonstration during ISC, the unit responded almost immediately to changes at the main controller. Dean says that competitive devices can take up to 20 seconds to react to arm, disarm and other security commands.

Although it does add an extra radio to Go!Control, Dean says 900 MHz brings new opportunities for the 2Gig ecosystem. He wouldn’t say what kind of features it will bring, but one could imagine messaging, intercom and other capabilities would work nicely in that band.

The new touchscreen runs on three AAA batteries. Up to four of them can be added to a Go!Control system. It is expected to retail for about $125